Gender Gaps in Administrative Positions: The Case of Selected Educational Institutions in Lusaka District, Zambia

Abstract

The vision of the National Gender Policy (NGP) was to achieve gender equity at all levels of decision making in the Zambian political economy. Institutions of higher learning occupy a significant role in the socio-economic development of Zambia and are critically affected by gender policy issues. The study was carried out to investigate the Gender gaps among Women and Men in Administrative positions: The case of Educational Institutions in Lusaka District, Zambia. The objectives that guided the study were: to assess the extent of gender gaps in administrative positions of selected educational institutions; identify the causes of gender gaps in managerial positions of established educational institutions, and ascertain the effect of gender gaps in the operations of selected academic institutions. This research employed both quantitative and qualitative survey research approaches, which followed a descriptive case study design. The sample consisted of seventy-eight (78) respondents. This comprised of forty-eight (48) administrative officers from six (6) educational institutions, that is eight (8), administrative officers, from each institution. At the same time, thirty (30) respondents were sampled from non-administrative officers, five (5) non-administrative officers were sampled from individual educational institutions. Purposive sampling and random sampling technique were used to sample the participants. A questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the field. The study revealed the extent to which there are gender gaps in administrative positions of educational institutions is very significant. That is because the number of male administrative thirty-one (31) officers is almost double the numbers of female administrative seventeen (17) officers. The causes of gender gaps in administrative positions included; lack of clear policy on recruitment and promotion of administrative officers, lack of affirmative action during recruitment and promotion process, stereotyping of administrative positions, lack of confidence, limited role models, low level of education and administrative experience amongst females, and being overwhelmed with household responsibilities.